


Winter

by Burgie



Series: SSOWeek Round 3 [4]
Category: Star Stable
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-27
Updated: 2016-07-27
Packaged: 2018-07-27 01:49:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7598773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What really happened to the bridge during that supernatural winter before the start of SSO.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Winter

The residents of Jorvik all knew that winter was always hard. But the druids could sense a worse one coming. Those who specialised in the Water circle could feel it. Those in the Air circle predicted it. But none were prepared for how bad it truly was.

It started with colder winds blowing from the Valley. The residents of Valedale were the worst hit, shivering even before winter had come. Elizabeth helped as much as she could, of course, distributing heating stones and other items enchanted by the Fire circle to hold and produce heat. But it was still cold.

Silverglade suffered more stock losses that winter than ever before. Sheep froze in the fields, those lambs unfortunate enough to be born in winter did not survive, and the farmers all but gave up. The crops were frozen, too. That was the worst of it. Marley had to work extra hard just to keep the horses in his stables alive.

The Baroness stopped going out to visit her castle. Instead, she cloistered herself inside her manor to wait out the winter. She saw people come and go from behind closed windows. She didn’t speak to anyone. Maybe, deep down, she knew the cause. But she didn’t say it aloud or even try to do anything about it. She felt too guilty to do anything.

Golden Hills Valley became more like White Hills Valley. Snow coated everything, and the water in the fishing village almost froze solid. After locking the gate, the mayor closed himself up in his house. The swamp didn’t freeze. That was no surprise, though- the witch probably had spells or potions to keep the water foul enough to not freeze. 

Only one person was brave or stupid enough to ride around in the snow. A girl on a horse that was almost golden. She rode around all across Jorvik, or the parts of it that were still open. On the bridge, she faced her enemy.

The thunder of horse hooves on the great bridge separating Jorvik from the Harvest Counties weakened the structure. It smouldered in places from missed shots and the hooves of the Dark Horse. The girls smouldered too, from the shots that hit.

Alex missed Lisa the most when she was hurt like this. Sabine had picked up fire spells from somewhere. But Alex had grown stronger too. Now, she could use Soulstrike while seated on Tin Can. The only wounds that he had were from Sabine’s fire spells.

“Now it’s just me and you,” Sabine growled at her. She had fire in her hand. The bridge suddenly lurched, and the fire flew. Alex had to duck to stop her hair from catching fire.

“What were you doing in the Harvest Counties?” asked Alex. She frantically patted Tin Can’s mane to put out the smouldering hairs.

“Oh, wouldn’t you like to know?” Sabine grinned at her. “I was just doing some work. You know, since all of the other Generals are stuck in Pandoria!” She growled and threw another handful of fire. Tin Can’s leg was struck, but he didn’t move. He was a good horse.

Still, Alex hit back with a strong Lightning spell. Thunder boomed overhead, shaking the bridge down to its very foundations. The ice of the Silversong river cracked.

 _“Alex, get off the bridge, now!”_ Tin Can ordered, already turning to do just that.

 _“Why? What’s going on?”_ asked Alex, and then she heard the bridge groaning and saw the ice below moving. She swore and turned Tin Can to gallop away back to Nilmer’s Highland. She pulled up and saw Sabine galloping across the bridge after her, but it was too late. The old bridge cracked down the middle, and the ground slid out from under Kaahn’s hooves. They screamed as they fell, but not in fear. In rage.

And then Tin Can groaned. Alex looked down at her horse, finally able to see him properly now that her Shadow Sight had gone. His wounds looked bad, an angry, tight red with singed fur around the outsides. Alex knew that she looked worse, she could feel the cold air nipping at skin in places where her clothing had burned away. She’d feel the pain later, when the adrenaline wore off. She knew that. But…

“Tin Can, I think I should send you away,” said Alex. “Like I sent James away. For your safety.”

“If you think it’s best,” said Tin Can. “But you’ll be weaker without me. You won’t be able to fight off the Darkness.”

“I know,” said Alex. “But I’d rather have you alive. I’ll bring you back after winter. I promise.” She smiled at him, but it was forced. She looked out at the frozen river and tried to pretend that the tears were from sun shining on snow.

“And if you forget?” asked Tin Can.

“I’ll never forget you,” said Alex. “I’ll have more money, for one thing.” Tin Can snorted.

“And where will you send me?” he asked.

“I’ve heard that Horse Island is nice,” said Alex. “And the ocean isn’t frozen. But we’ll have to get back over to the Harvest Counties.”

“I know a way,” said Tin Can. “But we’ll go later. I need to see the vet, and you probably should too.”

“Okay,” said Alex. “We’ll cut across Nilmer’s to Silverglade. Come on.” They went slowly, and Alex slowly felt the pain hit. It hurt, but she didn’t want to complain. Tin Can wasn’t complaining, so she wouldn’t either.

When they reached the vet’s, Alex was just glad to get in out of the cold. The winter was so bad that it had to be supernatural. Dark Core must be behind it, maybe it was a way to split them up. But she didn’t know anything for sure. And she couldn’t know, not with the Baroness refusing to let anyone into her manor so Linda couldn’t use the library. The vet fussed over Alex’s wounds, and Alex had to come up with some lie about an exploding engine or something. Luckily, it worked, and the vet didn’t ask any further questions.

Down at the river, Sabine pulled herself out of the freezing cold water and growled, glaring back up at the broken bridge. Kaahn appeared beside her, snorting. His hooves smouldered.

“We’ll get her,” said Sabine. “I swear it.”


End file.
